"... "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived" -- so goes the schoolroom mnemonic for the ways in which the six wives of Henry VIII met their respective ends. Gaetano Donizetti's "Anna Bolena" (1830), which opened Saturday at the Ordway Center in a new, sensationally sung production by Minnesota Opera,is concerned with wife no. 2, the unfortunate Anne Boleyn, and no. 3, the conflicted Jane Seymour (Anne's sometime lady-in-waiting). Think of it as the "Masterpiece Theatre" of its day, complete with mad scene and spiced with a timely reminder that the personal really is political."Read Full Review

Larry Fuchsberg

Aisle Say Twin Cities- Recommended

"... The stage direction by Kevin Newbury was excellent. From the staging of the asides to the recitative arrangements, the spatial interplay amongst the performers increased the dramatic tension. Some creative acting directions (e.g. Smeton on the queen’s bed holding a pillow) enhanced the characterizations. And the costumes by Jessica Jahn were superb. Anna’s vibrant blue dress was jewel collared with floral embroidered cuffs, and the folds and undersleeves of Giavanna’s violet gown hung luxurious and heavy (both styles were common in the period). These contrasted effectively with Enrico VIII’s embroidered black doublet." Read Full Review